If you were hoping to reach Newberry Inspections, it is now Grush Inspections, LLC. Same great people and outstanding service, different name. We look forward to having you call on us for your real estate inspection needs.

Quality Home Inspections Identify House Settling Issues

Many in northern Nevada trust the certified home inspectors at Grush Inspections, LLC to help them identify areas of concern when shopping for a new home. You may not know that Grush Inspections also excels at helping new and long-term homeowners identify issues with their current homes. Issues with your foundation, grading and house settling may not present themselves in a glaring way before you purchase your home. In this article we talk about how quality home inspections can connect cracks in your walls with house settling issues.

What Are House Settling Issues?

House settling is a natural process where the materials used to build your home move small amounts as your home ages.

Cracks in your home’s walls or ceiling can indicate that house settling is taking place. Some issues are minor and require further observation whereas other issues require immediate attention.

Different building materials grow, shrink, warp and settle in different ways and at different rates. Some common building materials that are prone to cracking include drywall, plaster and concrete.

A top-notch home inspection by Grush Inspections, LLC can help you determine the severity of the crack or cracks in your home.

Which Factors Influence House Settling?

• Humidity and / or local climate – a home built near a marsh or swamp will be prone to certain maintenance issues; a home built in the high desert will require different considerations.
• Soil movement – the condition of the soil when your home was built can influence how your foundation and home respond moving forward.
• Shallow foundations – insufficient foundations may save some money upfront during construction, but they may present problems in the future for the homeowner.
• Natural disasters – regional earthquakes and mudslides can impact how your home sits on its foundation.

Types of Cracks Associated with House Settling and Other Issues

• Stress cracks – Small, thin cracks near your windows may be stress cracks and are often okay to leave alone.
• Heaving cracks – Horizontal cracks between your roof and walls may be heaving cracks and can indicate roof truss issues. These can be serious.
• Stair-step cracks – Also known as jagged cracks, these can indicate excessive movement in some but not all cases.
• Vertical cracks – If they occur in drywall, they may be a natural result of changes in humidity, drying or shrinking. If they occur in concrete, they can be indicative of foundation movement and require inspection.
• Thick and Leaky cracks – Any cracks less than 1/8 in. wide are often less serious. Any cracks ¼ in. or wider or any cracks showing moisture should be inspected immediately.

Trust Grush for Certified Home Inspections

Our Nevada licensed Master and Residential Home Inspectors can be great aids to help current homeowners asses the seriousness of cracks in the walls or ceiling. If you are unsure if your home is experiencing a home settling issue that requires your attention, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

We won’t push any work or inspections on you that we don’t think are necessary. When you contract Grush Inspections, LLC to examine your home, you have our word that we’ll do our best to identify any and all issues that might give you a headache down the road.